The merger is characterised by a high degree of geographical complementarity: while NonStop Gym has established a strong market presence primarily in the French- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland (Romandie and Ticino), PureGym’s existing network in Switzerland focused mainly on the German-speaking regions. The selling firm, Invision, emphasised that the transaction brings together "two highly complementary gym chains". Through this integration, PureGym doubles its presence in Switzerland to nearly 100 locations, establishing itself as the undisputed number one in the local discount segment.

For PureGym, this represents the next international expansion step following the acquisition of Blink Fitness in the USA. The group is majority-backed by Leonard Green & Partners, with KKR holding a minority stake. Alex Wood, CEO of PureGym, commented on the transaction: “We have long admired NSG and their team, who have built an excellent business, with market-leading performance and member satisfaction. This acquisition is an important step in PureGym's international growth strategy and demonstrates our continued ambition to invest in attractive markets where we believe we can build strong, sustainable businesses.”

For the Swiss competitive market, this step noticeably increases consolidation pressure. Particularly for independent operators and smaller regional players, the market environment is tightening in the face of rising costs and competition from internationally scaled platforms.

Source: PureGym / Invision
Picture: edelhelfer